


velvet and diamonds

by MidnightBlueMoon



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Asexual Jughead Jones, Crack Treated Seriously, F/M, Jughead Jones Is Not Aromantic, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt, everything-jeronica's Jeronica Week #2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 05:51:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14538051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightBlueMoon/pseuds/MidnightBlueMoon
Summary: Prince Forsythe Pendleton III is holding a ball and the beautiful stranger attending might change his mind about masked balls. Or will she?Aka, a Royalty fic for Jeronica.





	1. Open up your eyes

**Author's Note:**

> My fics are based on the canon the show sets, so please don't be disappointed if Jughead is not aromantic-asexual. 
> 
> I will always tag the fic accordingly.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead hated this. There already were chiffon and velvet around him everywhere and the carriages kept coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeronica Week #2, Theme Royalty.  
> Prompt: Mask + “You must have confused me for someone else.”

Jughead hated this. There already were chiffon and velvet around him everywhere and the carriages kept coming. He died a little on the inside until he saw Polly and Betty –  _Pauline_  and  _Elizabeth_ , his mother would say – walk up the stairs. His forced smile turned into a real one because he knew that both of them didn’t want to be here either. Polly’s and Jason Blossom’s affair was being talked behind closed doors everywhere. It would be a great alliance, but there was the family feud between the Blossom’s and the Coopers – which was unfortunate because their kingdoms were side by side and were only separated by a small river. It would be best for everyone if their parents would allow Jason and Polly to marry, hopefully before they conceived their first child. Jughead knew that his mother hoped that Elizabeth and he could one day be a happily married couple, but he was not blind. He saw the way Betty looked at his friend Prince Archibald, even though their alliance would not be very promising. Their kingdoms were separated by a huge mountain chain.

Jughead was not sure why the Coopers were obviously so into redheads, but he actually didn’t care. He was just happy that he wouldn’t be receiving proposals from either of them.

Betty smiles at him, while Polly curtsies. “Prince Forsythe, what a pleasure to meet again.” On the inside, Jughead grimaced at the mention of his full name. Who thought Forsythe Pendleton III was a good name for a child? Family tradition be damned, it was an awful name.

(His father would probably agree. Forsythe Pendleton II was called FP behind closed doors, but he had to keep his face on occasions like this. This being a ball for his son, the heir to the throne.)

Giving an elegant bow, Jughead smiled at both of them. “The pleasure is mine, Princess Pauline and Princess Elizabeth.” Betty tried to hide the way she rolled her eyes by bowing her head in fake glee and embarrassment. Everyone talked always about how she was such a good, pure-hearted girl – if they knew what Elizabeth Cooper had already done, they’d probably have a heart attack.

Behind them were King Harold and Queen Alice, who now looked at the girls disapprovingly. “Where did you put your masks? You are supposed to wear them!”

Betty shot Jughead an exasperated look. On the inside, he could understand – but on the outside, he put on a brilliant smile and said: “A mask could never hide the beauty of your daughters, your majesty.”

The pleased look on Queen Alice’s face was worth it – it meant he wouldn’t have to talk to them for much longer. She had what she wanted. With a smile she ushered her daughters inside – Jughead didn’t miss the way she made them put on their masks first though. Betty’s mask was white with black swirls on it, while Polly’s was completely white and sparkled like water drops in the sunlight. The masks fit their dresses perfectly – the theme was black and white because Jughead had fought with his hands and feet against a colourful theme.

(“ _If you are doing this for me, why can’t I decide anything about it?!” He had snapped at his mother, which he would later apologize for, but he was so done. Not only did he have to hold a stupid ball that was barely hidden speed-dating, but he was also supposed to dress up like a clown for it? No fucking way._

_His mother seemed to realize that he was not joking about that matter, so she gave in. “Fine. You can pick the theme of the ball, as long as it is not something inappropriate.”_ )

Jughead had chosen black and white. His mother had rolled her eyes, but she had let him have his way. Jughead didn’t feel too great in his suit, but at least he was allowed to wear black. When he had slipped on a black button-up underneath the black suit though, his mother had tried to stop him. “You look like you’re at a funeral!” Jughead didn’t bother with a reply, but his facial expression must have been very telling. His mother gave him a disapproving look and picked a white bow-tie up. “If the theme is black and white, then you must wear something white.” Jughead couldn’t really argue with that.

He had also somehow ended up with a white flower in his buttonhole and white cufflinks, but otherwise, he was wearing completely black. He also was not going to wear a mask – he was supposed to be looked at, like fresh meat on the market.

He already hated it and it hadn’t even really begun yet.

Jughead kept greeting guests, complimenting the girls on their dresses or hair, some on their masks. (Cheryl Blossom came wearing a mask that seemed to be entirely made of the shards of a diamond. It reflected the light and broke it up in every possible colour. She looked terrifyingly beautiful and Jughead was just glad she didn’t seem interested in him.)

At some point, the inflow of people seemed to come to an end. Jughead was already tired of this evening. When it seemed like the only people coming in at this point were his parents' age, he slipped away, trying to get away from the whole thing for a moment. He pressed his fingers to his temples – a headache had started to form. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment.

“Are you alright, Mylord?”

The voice interrupting his break was soft, but there was an underlying strength in it. When Jughead turned around, the girl standing in front of him was one he had never seen before. She was wearing a simple dress, black velvet without any ornaments or distractions. Her hair had the same glossy look to it, flowing down onto her shoulders. Her mask was simple, but beautiful – plain black, with white dots splattered across it. It looked like an artist had just scattered dots with a brush over it - it was weirdly intriguing.

When Jughead looked at her, her eyes widened. “Oh, it’s you! My apologies. I didn’t recognize you, your majesty.” She sank down into a deep curtsey and Jughead’s heart sank with her. He hated this. “No, don’t… don’t apologize.” He sighed and held a hand out to her. When she placed her hand in his, he marvelled at how small it was. Helping her up, he smiled at her. “I am alright. Thank you for asking, Mylady.” He gave a small bow and couldn’t help but be intrigued by the blush creeping up the cheeks of the stranger. “May I ask your name?” The girl seemed to hesitate before she gave a winning smile. “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the mask?” There was a hint of dry sarcasm in her voice and Jughead felt himself smile. “You are right – but what am I going to call you then in my head? Raven-haired princess?.” She smiled brilliantly, but with the way she tipped her head to the side, it seemed to be a dare. “It seems so.”

Jughead couldn’t help but grin. “So secretive. It’s a pleasure to meet you, oh strange raven-haired princess.” Bowing down, he pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand. Her melodic laughter made him look up. “The pleasure is all mine, Prince Forsythe.” His name sounded strange in her mouth, like a word she had never said before. Jughead shook his head. “Please call me Jughead. I hate that name.” The strange princess smiled at him and nodded. “It is an awful name, indeed. Jughead fits you better.”

Jughead looked at her with surprised eyes. It was rare that someone would admit to Forsythe Pendleton being an awful name – no-one wanted to criticize the King and Queen on their choice of name for their son. But it somehow made Jughead happy, that this stranger spoke so freely to him.

“Very well spoken.” Hearing his name being called in the distance, Jughead sighed softly. The princess’ look flickered over his shoulder and back at his face. “You should go. They are looking for you.” Her smile had vanished like fog into thin air. Jughead found himself watching her dark eyes instead. He didn’t want to go back. He wanted to stay here. “Would you mind me asking for a dance, Cinderella?” The nickname slipped past his lips before he could stop it. The surprise in her eyes melted into amusement quickly. “ _You must have confused me with someone else, honey._ ”

She didn’t let Jughead ask what she meant by that, she just answered the question to come immediately. “I’m clearly more of a Tiana, not a Cinderella.”

Jughead could feel how a broad grin spread his face. “My apologies, my lady.”

The shouts of his name were much closer now – it sounded like Archie. Which meant he didn’t have time to talk to Betty and Jughead did not want to be the reason for that.

Looking at the girl in front of him, he carefully took hold of her hand once again. “Find me later, if you can forgive me my mistake.” There was a sparkle in the girl’s eyes when she answered him. “I’ll think about it.” Grinning, Jughead took a step back before he turned around and walked into the direction he heard Archie’s voice come from. But when he turned around for the last time, he found the girl looking at him. The evening suddenly didn’t seem so awful any-more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I personally like to listen to a song while writing, which leads to me including lyrics as an additional prompt.
> 
> Lyric Prompt: "You must have confused me for someone else."  
> Song: _No Exuses_ by Meghan Trainor.


	2. I can feel it on the back of my tongue - Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When she turned back around, she accidentally made eye contact with a girl her age. The girl smiled at her kindly, and Veronica found herself smiling back at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeronica Week #2, Theme Royalty.  
> Prompt: Dance + “Because everything is nothing until you realise it’s something you want.”  
> Part I.

Veronica held her breath until the prince vanished around a corner. Only then she let herself breathe again, let her mask fall. What the hell? She had just flirted with the crown prince of the kingdom, the crown prince who was supposed to find a wife. Of course, this was just talked about behind closed doors. But the ball was not just for fun. The people talked – about the prince, who still had not found himself a wife, who had never shown interest in getting married and having children.

Veronica could understand that: She wasn’t sure she wanted kids either. She was sure what she wanted from a marriage though – she wanted love. Maybe it was naive, but she didn’t care about politics, about climbing up the social ladder. She wanted someone special.

But she still couldn’t go around flirting with the prince. Not that this particular prince had seemed to mind. Her thoughts drifted back to him, to the way his suit hugged his shoulders nicely when he was relaxed. He seemed to fold in on himself when he was faced with a stressful situation, but when he was relaxed, he grew into his body. He had such a serious face – it made him look older than he was. But when he smiled, it lit up his green eyes and he lost the serious edge that clung to him.

Forsythe Pendleton III. _Jughead_. Veronica smiled slightly at the memory of her conversation until her train of thoughts was interrupted. A chambermaid spoke up.

“Mylady? You might want to go inside. The ball is about to start – the King will speak soon.” The girl had dark curls tied into a bun and her simple white linen dress flattered her chocolate coloured skin. She looked uncomfortable because she had interrupted Veronica’s thoughts.

Veronica smiled and lifted a hand, to take off her mask. The girl’s eyes grew huge as she saw who was hidden underneath the mask. “Ronnie?!” Her gasped whisper made Veronica grin. “Hey, Josie.”

Josie grabbed her elbows gently. “What the hell, Ronnie? What if you get caught?” She whispered, but not angrily. There was admiration in her voice because here was her best friend, sneaking into the ball of the prince, even though she was not invited. Even though she was no royal at all.

Veronica smiled her dangerous smile, the kind that haunted men at night and made girls want to be like her. “I better not get caught then.” She was aware that she was risking a lot here. But if Veronica Lodge wanted to do something, nothing in this world could stop her. And she wanted to go to at least one ball in her life. She wanted to feel like a princess for once, not like the daughter of a forgotten merchant, not like the maid she worked as. And she never thought the prince himself would talk to her. She could flee the ball now. She had already felt like a princess – he had _called_ her a princess, had called her Cinderella. She wanted to laugh at the irony of it, but she also kept her head up. She hadn’t lied. She didn’t want to be the princess that married and lived happily ever after, she wanted to take her fate into her own hands and shape it to her likes.

And she knew it was dangerous to go in now because she would not be able to resist to see where this would go. She would dance with him. She _wanted_ to dance with him. He was kind and funny and he had seemed sad before she had talked to him.

Josie had been shaking her head at Veronica, but now she spoke again. “You’re crazy, girl.” But she smiled, a smile just as dangerous as Veronica’s. “Put that mask back on. You have a ball to attend.”

Veronica’s face broke out into a huge grin. “You’re the best, Josie.” Slipping her black and white mask back on, she schooled her face into neutrality and lifted her chin up. “Very well then. Would you lead me inside, my dear?” Josie rolled her eyes at the pet name, but she played the part. She even curtsied before she answered. “Of course, my lady. This way, please.”

Josie led Veronica around two corners and up white marble stairs. No-one paid them special attention – there was nothing to see. A lady was being led inside by a chambermaid, and even if no-one knew the woman – she was wearing a mask and the guards had seen so many people pass the gates today, it was impossible to keep a record of who was here and who wasn’t. Plus, who would try to sneak into the King’s castle?

Veronica kept her pace graceful and slow as she walked into the ballroom. Turning around to Josie, she offered a pleased smile. “Thank you, my dear. That was very courteous of you, …?” Veronica let the sentence hang in the air, pretending she didn’t know Josie. Josie curtsied again. “Josephine. My name is Josephine, my lady.” Veronica nodded kindly. “Well, thank you, Josephine.”

Josie smiled and winked at Veronica before she left Veronica alone. She had a job to do and Veronica didn’t want to be the reason that Josie had lost her job as a chambermaid.

Looking around, Veronica started to take the scene in. The ballroom was beautiful. The walls were white marble and over their heads, a white dome stretched out. The entire room was decorated with white flowers – it was more flowers than Veronica had ever seen in one place. She couldn’t make out what kind of flowers they were because there were so many different ones.

Letting herself go with the float of the crowd, she ended up drifting closer to the middle of the room. In front of her, the King was seated on a throne, his Queen by his side. Next to them were two smaller thrones, both currently empty. As Veronica watched, the King turned around to speak to his wife and she softly shook her head. Looking at the empty thrones, it seemed like the King sighed.

Veronica took that as a cue to keep looking around – it seemed like they were waiting for the prince and the princess to show up. She knew that the King and Queen had two children – Forsythe Pendleton III, the heir to the throne, and Forsythia Pleasance, his younger sister. Veronica wasn’t sure why the hell their parents had thought that those were good names for kids, but it seemed like at least Jughead didn’t go by his full name.

The people around her were mostly her age or the age of her parents. All the girls were wearing masks, some really simple, some very complex constructs. Veronica could see black swirls and squares everywhere around her, white chiffon and velvet and silk. She felt a little underdressed, but she tried not to let it get to her. She wasn’t here to compete with the other girls. She was here to have a good time – it didn’t matter if the girl over there had diamonds woven into her dress, making the light catch in her dress whenever she moved.

Veronica noticed that there was no banquet, but there were long tables set up with what looked like snacks and refreshment on them. For a second Veronica thought she saw Josie over there, but she was not entirely sure. Maybe she could get some food later?

When she turned back around, she accidentally made eye contact with a girl her age. The girl smiled at her kindly, and Veronica found herself smiling back at her. The girl threw a look at the person standing next to her – a girl that looked very similar to her – before she walked towards Veronica. Maybe Veronica should have felt panicked, but she rather took the time to get a good look at the girl. The girl’s hair was shiny and blonde and fell in waves down onto her shoulders. Her dress was really pretty – her boat neckline showed some part of her shoulders and the black swirls on her dress curled around her arms. Her mask had the same swirled lines on it, flattering her pale skin and making her blue eyes stand out. Her skirt was big and fluffy – Veronica wasn’t entirely sure if she was not maybe wearing two petticoats, because this was a huge dress. The girl gathered her skirts to prevent someone from stepping on them and dropped them with a little huff when she stood next to Veronica. “I envy you. That dress is beautiful.”

Veronica blinked. That was not what she had expected. But she caught herself in time. “Have you seen yourself? You look gorgeous. That neckline is stunning.” The girl smiled at her, with so much honesty Veronica could feel her heart crack a bit open. “Thank you. Oh, my apologies. I haven’t introduced myself yet: I’m Elizabeth.” The girl – Elizabeth – curtsied gracefully, making it look so easy even though her skirts must make it so hard. “But, you can call me Betty as long as my mother does not listen.”

Veronica smiled at her. “My name is Veronica, but you can call me Ronnie. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Betty.” She curtsied as well. Betty smiled at her. “Likewise.”

For a second the two girls were silent, waiting for the other one to say something. When no-one did, Betty let out a giggle. “I’m sorry – I just wish it would finally start.” Veronica nodded. “It’s so tense in here. How badly do some of the girls in here want the prince? It feels like you cut the air with a knife.”

Veronica kept her face schooled into neutrality, but Betty pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. But the corners of her mouth curled upward and Veronica gave a slight smile of her own. Betty shook her head softly before she answered. “It seems like a lot of girls want to win the prince over. He is quite the catch, that is true.”

She didn’t say anything else, but Veronica sensed that she did not tell the whole story. “But… not for you?”, she guessed and Betty’s slightly surprised look gave her all the answers she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt is split into three parts because the chapter would have been too long otherwise. I'm a little terrified because this was not how I planned this fic to turn out.
> 
> Lyric Prompt: “Because everything is nothing until you realise it’s something you want.”  
> Song: _Lash Out_ by Alice Merton.


	3. I can feel it on the back of my tongue - Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the crowd started to bow down or curtsy, so did Veronica.  
> The King, Forsythe Pendleton II, let his eyes wander over the crowd before he spoke. “I welcome all of you here. It’s a special occasion and we are very pleased to see so many of you have found the time to attend the ball.”  
> He smiled at them all. “So let us stop talking and come to the part you’ve all been waiting for – the dance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeronica Week #2, Theme Royalty.  
> Prompt: Dance + “Because everything is nothing until you realise it’s something you want.”  
> Part II.

_Betty shook her head softly before she answered. “It seems like a lot of girls want to win the prince over. He is quite the catch, that is true.”_

_She didn’t say anything else, but Veronica sensed that she did not tell the whole story. “But… not for you?”, she guessed and Betty’s slightly surprised look gave her all the answers she needed._

“You didn’t seem that interested in the prince.” Betty blushed a little and looked at her feet. Veronica smiled. “Hey, that is not bad. The prince probably had enough girls throwing themselves at him.” She waved a hand at the people surrounding her. Betty looked up again and smiled softly.

“There is another prince and we’ve known each other for a long time… but our kingdoms are too far apart, so there is no political gain out of a marriage between our kingdoms.” She said it with resignation in her voice, like she had already given up on him.

Veronica felt her heart break a little for the girl she had only met ten minutes ago. “But that should not be everything that matters. Does he like you back?” Betty hesitated. “It seems so.”

“Then you should at least try to be with him! Wouldn’t it be sad if you let politics get in the way of your heart?” Veronica knew deep down that she shouldn’t speak so openly, but she couldn’t resist. Maybe she would leave an imprint on this girls life, and if she did, she wanted it to be a good one.

Betty bit her lip. “I guess you are right.” Veronica smiled at her. “Of course I am. Now go, find that prince of yours. If he can resist you in this dress, he is not the right boy for you anyway.” Betty’s face was split by a beaming grin for a second before she schooled her features into a soft smile instead. She grabbed Veronica’s hands and squeezed them tightly for a moment. “Thank you, Ronnie”, she said simply. Then she gathered her skirts and turned around, her head held high, looking for her beloved one.

Veronica watched her go, smiling softly at her. But then she heard a raised voice from behind her and turned around. The King had risen from his throne and the crowd slowly quieted down to let him be heard everywhere in the room. Veronica noticed that the two smaller thrones were no longer empty. Even at this distance, she could see Jughead’s bow-tie, a white spot in his otherwise dark attire. He sat very straight, very seriously on his throne.

The same could not be said for his sister. She was wearing a chequered dress with a wide skirt and her pitch black hair was curling down to her waist. She was wearing a tiara – at least Veronica thought it looked like a tiara – made of white flowers, the colour bright and alive against her dark hair. She was smiling and looking way more relaxed than her brother. Well, she was not the one who was supposed to get married.

When the crowd started to bow down or curtsy, so did Veronica. She sank down to her knees and only rose when she saw everyone else rise again. The King, Forsythe Pendleton II, let his eyes wander over the crowd before he spoke.

“I welcome all of you here. It’s a special occasion and we are very pleased to see so many of you have found the time to attend the ball.”

For a moment Veronica thought, it was rather hypocritical to pretend all those people had had a choice. But when she looked around, she saw pleased faces everywhere. She didn’t understand the people around her, not really – but she remembered that she had once heard stories about how King Forsythe II was a very kind king. He didn’t hold many feasts and when he did and someone couldn’t attend, it didn’t mean the end of the world for them.

The King’s coat of arms was a snake, but the King himself was not.

But he was not weak. Before Veronica was even born, there had been a war against another kingdom – and no matter how kind King Forsythe II was, he was also the general of an army. He had fought in the war himself, next to his soldier. The war had ended with no enemies left. He was a fierce protector, the people said. A good king.

Lost in her thoughts, Veronica missed part of what the King was saying. “...so hopefully we will be able to welcome one of you into our family one day.” The King let his eyes wander across the crowd again. Then he smiled widely and Veronica was shocked by how honest it seemed. “So many beautiful girls – maybe one of them can win your heart. Don’t you think so, son?” The King turned around to Jughead and for a second, the prince seemed to hesitate. But then he spoke and for the first time, Veronica realized he was indeed the son of a king. His voice carried over the crowd easily, clear and crisp. “I do certainly hope that one of them can win my heart.” His smile was bright and charming, but it seemed a little too fake for Veronica.

The King seemed pleased though, because the crowd whispered, giddy with excitement. He smiled at them all. “Very well spoken. So let us stop talking and come to the part you’ve all been waiting for – the dance.” An orchestra suddenly started playing, softly at first, but the melody grew louder and happier. The King offered his hand to his Queen and lead her down onto the dance floor. But Veronica’s eyes clung to Jughead and she watched him offer his sister his hand. Forsythia seemed so excited, she almost dragged her brother onto the dance floor. Gracefully, of course.

Jughead was way taller than his sister, but the still managed to look quite good while dancing. He spun his sister around a few times until she was laughing. Veronica found herself smiling at them.

Around the King and Queen and the royal siblings, other couples had started dancing. Most of them were parents, leaving their daughters standing around, waiting for their chance with the prince. Suddenly Veronica understood that this was way bigger than she had previously thought – right now she was blending in with the group, she was just one of the girls. But if Jughead danced with her, she would be looked at by everyone. They would ask, who was that girl? Where did she come from?

Was she willing to risk it for one dance with the prince?

Veronica kept watching the dancing couples. Some of them chatted while dancing, some leaned into each other. Some of them she would have thought strangers, were it not for the matching outfits. She wondered if she would ever be one of them. Would she ever look at laugh at someone’s jokes with that kind of happiness? Or would she remain silent when in the arms of the one she was supposed to love? Or was she going to be different?

The first couples started switching partners, prompting the prince to switch as well. Veronica watched as a blonde boy stopped next to them and apparently asked for a dance with Forsythia. By the way, Jughead immediately let go of his sister and by the easiness with which Forsythia started dancing with the boy, it seemed like they were very familiar with each other. But it meant Jughead suddenly had no partner to dance with and for a second he seemed quite lost in the middle of the dance floor. Then he squared his shoulders and asked the girl next to him to dance. She looked vaguely familiar, but it took a while until Veronica recognized her as the girl she had seen Betty with earlier. They danced like old friends, but there was no spark between them. The girl and Jughead seemed to talk, but it seemed more like two old friends reconnecting. And when Jughead swirled her around and she came back into his arms, neither of them tried to move in or pull the other one closer. It was elegant, but there was no fire between them.

Letting her eyes scan the crowd, Veronica noticed the looks on the faces of the other girls. A lot of them looked jealous, some of them even looked angry. Did they not see the lack of fire between the two of them?

But… if she went up there and danced with him, she would never be able to keep her secret. She would be asked questions she could not give the right answers to, and she would probably get into trouble.

Veronica sighed. This had been a beautiful dream, but now she needed to wake up. Touching the pearls around her neck, she thought of her mother, of the money they desperately needed. Maybe it was time to stop dreaming and start facing reality. She was the daughter of a deceitful merchant and she was a maid. She was no princess and she never would be. It was time to let this dream go.

Looking at the beautiful ballroom around her, she smiled. At least she had this – a memory to treasure, a memory of a what could have been. She turned around and slowly walked towards the stairs leading her outside. She didn’t rush herself. No-one paid any attention to the girl dressed in black and white – she was just one of many right now.

Unless she wasn’t.

“Veronica!” Hearing her name being called by a voice she wouldn’t yet call familiar, she turned around. Betty rushed towards her – well, as fast as she could be with all of those skirts. A boy her age was trailing behind her, careful not to lose her. He was tall and red-headed, with broad shoulders and a form-fitting suit. He had the body of a soldier, but he did not hold himself like one. There was something soft, artistic to him – and he looked at Betty like she was his sun and stars. Veronica immediately knew that this was the boy Betty had told her about earlier.

She smiled softly at the girl in front of her. “Betty. It’s so nice to see you again. And who’s your companion?” Betty blushed a little but smiled at the boy. The same look of complete adoration she had just seen on his face was now in her eyes and when the boy carefully took Veronica’s hand and gave a small bow, Veronica saw for a moment what Betty saw. This boy was kind, he was gentle – he would never want Betty to be someone she was not. “Archibald Andrews, my lady.”

Veronica smiled at him and curtsied. “It’s a pleasure, my lord. Betty had told me so much about you.”

Betty looked shocked at the lie, but Veronica winked at her. Her friend’s face softened a little and she smiled back. “Ronnie is exaggerating. _A lot._ ” Veronica smiled innocently at both of them. “Of course I am.” Veronica broke out in giggles when she saw Betty’s face.

Poor Archibald looked confused, trying to make sense of the whole situation. Veronica had the heart to save the situation. “Well, it was a pleasure to meet you both, but I really require something to drink.” Archibald opened his mouth, probably to offer to get her a glass, but she shook her head at him.

“I am sure Elizabeth would love to dance. Wouldn’t you, Betty?” Betty looked like she wanted to cry and laugh at the same time, but when Archibald’s hopeful eyes met hers, she melted like butter on the hot stove. “I actually would be very happy to dance”, she said, quietly. Archibald smiled at her and took her hand. “Elizabeth Cooper, would you honour me with this dance?”

Betty’s smile was blinding and Veronica could feel her heart ache a little. That was the kind of smile she wanted to be directed at her. Archibald carefully led Betty towards the open space where all the other couples were still dancing. Betty looked over her shoulder and Veronica was not great at reading lips, but she thought she saw her mouth a _thank you_ in her direction. She just smiled back at Betty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyric Prompt: “Because everything is nothing until you realise it’s something you want.”  
> Song: _Lash Out_ by Alice Merton.


	4. I can feel it on the back of my tongue - Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I did not think I would find you here.” The voice behind her set her skin on fire for a second. Catching her breath, Veronica slowly turned around and found herself face to face with the prince himself.  
> “I did not think you would come looking for me, your majesty.” She curtsied, bowing her head down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeronica Week #2, Theme Royalty.  
> Prompt: Dance + “Because everything is nothing until you realise it’s something you want.”  
> Part III.

Veronica actually went to go get her drink. She was not entirely sure what she was drinking, but it did not taste like liquor, so she thought it should be fine. Holding the glass in her hand, she scanned the room. She couldn’t find Jughead any-more – the girl he had been dancing with now danced with a tall but slim, red-headed boy. They seemed very close and Veronica was very pleased to note that she had been right about the girl and Jughead not being interested in each other. The way the boy held the girl was completely different. There was a pull between them, drawing them together without them having to do anything. His eyes were glued to hers and Veronica was not sure if anything could break them apart right now

“I did not think I would find you here.” The voice behind her set her skin on fire for a second. Catching her breath, Veronica slowly turned around and found herself face to face with the prince himself. He looked a little tense, but otherwise not too different from the boy she had met outside.

“I did not think you would come looking for me, your majesty.” She thought she saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes, but she could have imagined it. She curtsied, bowing her head down. When she looked up again, Jughead’s eyes caught hers. For the length of a heartbeat, she was drowning in green. His eyes were really gorgeous.

Snapping back to herself, she found herself looking away. Jughead softly cleared his throat. “So have you considered my question?” He did not look nervous, but Veronica knew what a poker face looked like – she had seen it in the mirror. Her mouth curved up into a soft, dangerous smile. “I have.”

There was a moment of silence, but Veronica didn’t speak again. Suddenly, a smile cracked open Jughead’s face. “You are going to make me ask again?”

Veronica just sighed. “Anything else would be improper, would it not?” There was dry sarcasm colouring her voice and the sparkle in Jughead eyes’ told her he had noticed it.

She liked that sparkle. It sent a shiver down her spine – she was waiting for something to happen, but she was not sure what it would be.

She was not prepared for the touch of Jughead’s hand on hers. Raising an eyebrow – which was kind of pointless, she remembered, Jughead could not see her face – she let him carefully bring it to his lips. The soft kiss he brushed onto the back of her hand, made something inside curl like a cat.

He then smiled at her, a brilliant, dazzling smile that seemed to be real. “Would you honour me with this dance, my lady?” Veronica pretended to think about it for a moment.

Not that she needed to think about it, but it seemed like Jughead did not mind playing this game with her. Then she gave him an equally brilliant smile. “How could I say no to such a lovely request?”

Jughead’s hand tightened around hers a little when he took her glass from her other hand carefully. “Follow me then, princess.”

As he led her onto the dance floor, the people parted before them. When Veronica could feel the eyes of the other girls on her, she was suddenly very glad she was wearing a mask. No-one would recognize her.

Once he found a spot big enough to dance in, Jughead turned around to her. He carefully placed his hands on her back and waited for her to place hers on his shoulder, smiling at her softly all the while. His shoulder felt firm under her hand and whatever his suit was made from, it felt very soft against Veronica’s skin.

Looking up at him, she suddenly realized how close they were. “Ready, princess?”, he whispered into the air between them, their closeness allowing them to almost speak privately. It almost made her forgot everyone else. “Lead the way.” Her words made the corners of his mouth twitch upwards.

He then took a step forward, forcing her to take one back. Veronica had not danced in a rather long time, but she had always been quite good at it. Her body remembered how to follow his steps and before she knew it, she was being spun around by him. When she landed safely in his arms again, she found herself against his chest. The white bow-tie was just in front of her, so when she tipped her head back, she found herself looking into green eyes once again. Jughead smiled down at her.

“Why are you more of a Tiana?” The question surprised Veronica, but she didn’t let it rattle her. She smiled at him before she focused back on dancing and answering his question.

“Cinderella married a prince and then – her story just ends. They stopped telling her story. But Tiana? Her story does not end with her marriage. She still opens her restaurant. Her story does not end with being a wife.” Veronica noticed how quiet Jughead had gone. Looking up, she found him looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She tipped her head to the side, questioningly. Jughead kept looking at her for another moment before a smile tugged at his lips.

“You are an incredible woman, princess.” Veronica was not sure what she was supposed to reply to that compliment. So she changed the topic. “Now you owe me the answer to one question.”

She did not phrase it as a question, but she still waited for Jughead to nod his head. There was an amused look on his face, but he looked deeply curious about her question.

“If you could do anything you wanted, with no consequences – what would you do?” She wanted to know – because he seemed to be caught in this world, with a face too serious to fake the careless bachelor and a heart seemingly too soft to put it out there.

The surprise made Jughead look younger than he was, but he looked impressed. Veronica felt a weird thrill at the idea that she had asked something he did not expect. They made it to the next swirl before Jughead spoke up. “I would start over. Somewhere else.”

He remained silent for a moment, but Veronica was under the impression that he was not done talking yet, so she did not interrupt him. “I would want to start over, with nothing at all. No title, no crown, no… no family expectations.”

He phrased it carefully, but Veronica knew what he meant. He was a prince and the heir to the throne. There were expectations placed upon him – and he needed to fulfil them, regardless of whether Jughead wanted to live up to those standards or not. Veronica thought she understood why he wanted to escape it, why this was the first thing on his mind – but she still had to ask. “Why? Why would you give all of this up?”

Her voice sounded soft between them, filling the space between them with a strange sense of trust. Her eyes found Jughead's eyes – they seemed a little sad, a little tired. He directed a soft, tiny half-smile at her.

“ _Bec_ _ause everything is nothing_ _until_ _you realise it’s something you want._ ” The way he spoke the words seemed careful – like a truth someone carried in their heart but never voiced to anyone.

Veronica could feel the truth of that statement sink into her bones. She kept his eyes on his face, could feel his on hers, too. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but she felt so close to Jughead – not physically, but on an emotional level. She could feel his heartbeat under her fingertips and she could feel his truth echo in her heart.

She smiled softly at him. “What do you want then, my prince?” She kept the question light, trying to lighten the mood again. Jughead looked grateful for the distraction and pretended to think about it. “I would love to know your name, princess.” Veronica actually laughed out loud a little.

Jughead looked immensely pleased with that. “You have not quite earned that one yet, my prince", she said, but there was only good humour in it.

Jughead looked a little crestfallen, but at the same time, Veronica could see the spark being lit in his eyes. He was just as intrigued by this game they kept playing. Jughead nodded softly. “I will earn it, then.”

Veronica smiled at him. Just the moment before he was going to twirl her she whispered: “I hope you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyric Prompt: “Because everything is nothing until you realise it’s something you want.”  
> Song: _Lash Out_ by Alice Merton.


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